Pope meets with ferry victims' families

Yesterday afternoon, between 4:30pm and 5:00pm in a small chamber located beside the Paul VI Audience Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received a delegation of survivors and family members from the victims of the ferry sinking that happened a year ago, on October 3, 2013 off the coast of Lampedusa, in which 368 migrants died.

The delegation was composed of 37 persons, all Eritreans (including 20 survivors and some of their family members), from various European countries where they have been welcomed, often in the homes of other family members who were already living there.  Among these countries, we can list Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Holland, Denmark ... Other survivors are also expected to join those who were present for this audience in Lampedusa on October 3 to commemorate the sinking.

One of the refugees addressed a few words to the Pope in English, asking for his support in the process of identifying the bodies of the deceased, a process which is not yet completed.

Another addressed the Pope in his own language, a young person who thanked the Pope for the various forms of assistance provided to immigrants and to refugees.

The Pope spoke to those who were present, addressing some moving words in Italian: I feel that there are some things you cannot say because you cannot find the words to say them.  All those who have suffered can contemplate these realities in silence, you cry and you look for ways to be close to one another.  He continued: Sometimes, when it seems that you have arrived safely in port there are still some very difficult realities.  You find some doors that have been closed and you don't know where to go, but there are many people who have open hearts and who are compassionate.  The door of the heart is the most important one in such moments.  I ask all men and women of Europe to open the doors of their hearts! ... I want to say that I am close to you, I am praying for you, I am praying that doors which are closed now will be opened!

An iron sculpture was offered to the Pope as a gift, depicting a bottle floating in the sea which contains a family.  At the conclusion of the encounter, the Pope personally greeted every one of those who was present.

This meeting was organized by the October 3 Committee, led by Tareke Brhane and was accompanied by His Excellency, Konrad Krajewski, the Pontifical Elemosiniere (the office that oversees the Pope's charitable works), and Father Giovanni Lamanna, former President of the Astalli Centre.

A Bill has recently been presented in the Italian parliament calling for October 3 to be recognized as a special Day in memory of the victims of the sea.  Some of those who were present at today's papal audience were also able to understand on this occasion that the required tests being performed by the competent Italian authorities in order to identify some of the human remains recovered from the ferry tragedy have not yet been completed.